Hailie Deegan Shifts to Open-Wheel Racing in 2025

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hailie Deegan, a rising star in motorsports, will transition from NASCAR to open-wheel racing as she embarks on a full season in the Indy NXT series starting in 2025. The 23-year-old racer, known for her lineage as the daughter of action sports legend Brian Deegan, has signed on to race for HMD Motorsports.

Deegan, who previously competed in NASCAR’s truck series and the Xfinity Series, aims to capitalize on her earlier success. As a rookie in the ARCA series in 2020, she finished third in the standings but has faced challenges in recent seasons, achieving only five top-10 finishes in 85 national series starts over four years.

“I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to working with a proven program in HMD Motorsports,” Deegan said in a news release. “I have much to learn, but I am ready to go. The team brings a wealth of knowledge for me to pull from, and I look forward to soaking up as much of that as possible before my race debut next March in St. Petersburg.”

Deegan has participated in several test sessions with her new team, and she will make her open-wheel racing debut later this month at the Circuit of the Americas in the Formula Regional Americas race.

“Hailie, and especially the Deegan name, are huge in motorsports, and we welcome them to the HMD Motorsports family,” said Mike Maurini, president of HMD Motorsports. “Hailie has already been out to the shop and is taking the move to open-wheel racing seriously.”

Starting in 2025, the entire Indy NXT season will be broadcast live on FOX Sports, with most races scheduled on FS1 and others on FS2, enhancing the visibility of the series significantly.

In a related story, Jamie Little, well-known for her work on FOX’s NASCAR coverage, will expand her role in motorsports reporting. She will serve as a pit reporter for the IndyCar race in St. Petersburg and as the play-by-play announcer for the entire Truck series schedule.

Little’s return to IndyCar coverage marks a significant milestone; she previously reported for ESPN and ABC from 2004 to 2014. She will fill in while fellow reporter Georgia Henneberry is on maternity leave.

“We’re going to try to cross-promote as much as we can. It’s our first doubleheader. IndyCar is the first race followed by NASCAR,” Little said. “I’m the one person that does both, so they’re asking me to be there to try to blend those two worlds.”

The synergy between IndyCar and NASCAR will be highlighted on race day, especially since the IndyCar race precedes the NASCAR Cup Series road race at Circuit of the Americas. Little is optimistic about attracting NASCAR fans to the IndyCar race.

Little’s experience continues to grow as she takes on a more prominent role in the motorsports landscape, having previously made history as the first woman to provide play-by-play commentary for a U.S. national racing series when she called the ARCA Menards Series in 2021.

The Indy NXT series kicks off on Sunday, March 2, in St. Petersburg, with Deegan and other competitors eager to start their racing seasons.